ISRO satellite launch live updates: PM hails Isro's LVM3-M6 launch, calls it 'significant stride for space sector'

The LVM3-M6 mission, launched today, marks a significant commercial and technological milestone for ISRO as it deploys the BlueBird Block-2 satellite for AST SpaceMobile. The launch has been carried out under a commercial agreement between AST SpaceMobile and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO.

BlueBird Block-2 is a next-generation communications satellite designed to deliver continuous cellular broadband coverage directly to smartphones using satellite technology. According to ISRO, the satellite will support 4G and 5G voice and video calls, messaging, streaming, and data services, enabling connectivity for users anywhere in the world.

The satellite is part of AST SpaceMobile’s expanding Low Earth Orbit constellation, which aims to build the world’s first space-based cellular broadband network accessible on standard mobile phones. The company has already launched five BlueBird satellites in September 2024 and has partnered with more than 50 mobile operators globally to scale the network.

Technically, the mission is notable as BlueBird Block-2 features a 223 square metre phased array, making it the largest commercial communications satellite ever deployed in LEO and the heaviest payload launched to LEO by ISRO’s LVM3 rocket. The LVM3 vehicle has previously flown landmark missions including Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3, and OneWeb satellite launches, underlining its reliability ahead of today’s mission.